TASK VARIABLES: Learning a second language: What is the purpose of learning a foreign language? Is acquiring this skill a requirement?

nt? What are the barriers/obstacles that I may face as I learn a new language? With my other commitments/responsibilities, will I be able to keep up with the pace of the course? How much time will it take to become proficient in a second language? How much money will it cost me to learn a second language? Will the benefits of learning a second language outweigh its costs?

VARIABLES INFLUENCING METACOGNITION

STRATEGY VARIABLES: Regardless of the purpose, learning a second language involves the use of the following strategies: Memorization is totally discouraged when learning a new language. Therefore, spending a considerable amount of time rehearsing is expected. The use of visual imagery is beneficial as students learn new vocabulary. Interacting with individuals that speak the target language seems to help in developing listening and speaking skills in the second language. Listening to songs or reading a newspaper in the target language can facilitate improvement and therefore the development of a new skill. Tutoring and PeerAssisted Learning: having the opportunity to share questions/concerns with an expert allows learners to lay down the basic foundations that are key in the learning process.

LEARNERS VARIABLES: Learning a second language involves reflecting on the knowledge one has about his/her native language. In other words, if one knows what a verb, noun, pronoun, preposition, and adjective are, for example, then it is easier for the learner to make a connection between the new material and the material that has been previously learned/stored in LTM. Learning in adulthood is enhanced by the dynamics of the sociocultural setting in which adults live. Context recognizes that our society has become highly multicultural and diverse; therefore, people learning a second language will attempt to put their skills to the test when immersed in a situation that will elicit a response in a language different than English. Learning a second language will be facilitated if the learner has taken classes of the same foreign language before. If not, the learning process could also be facilitated if the learner has previously taken classes of any other foreign language. Having studied a second language in prior years allows the brain to combine different types of knowledge (declarative, procedural, and conditional).